Weekly Review -- Cursed with a gift
Chronicle (2012) -- With great power comes great responsibility, a wise person told a budding superhero once. Oh, how right they were. Might without control is anarchy, and we have the wildly original Chronicle to prove it.
**THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS**
Three high school pals -- outcast Andrew (Dane DeHaan), his sensible cousin Matt (Alex Russell) and cocky and popular Steve (Michael B. Jordan) -- discover a mysterious buried object at a party and gain superpowers as a consequence. Capable of feats ranging from telekinesis to flying, the boys have fun with their new abilities, which eventually manage to divide them and put their friendship to the test...
The one question that did not leave my thoughts for the duration of the film was: what if this kind of power existed and happened to fall into the wrong hands? Humans find ways to abuse any privilege, skill and technology; it is practically a tradition. I sympathize with Andrew's plight and like the idea of an introspective teenager becoming more assertive through the use of otherworldly talents but, as we proceed, his antihero status stalls and dissolves. Ultimately, I did not think that his breakdown was provoked by his ordeals; rather, I saw it as a result of his perceived superiority and perhaps some mental health issues. Furthermore, I did not know how exactly the writers had wanted us to read this development to begin with. This is where the film's ambiguity overshadows its brilliance. Utilizing a story about three mischievous teenagers in extraordinary circumstances, filmmakers Josh Trank and Max Landis make us think about the repercussions of problems such as bullying and peer pressure, but lose themselves in the action potential of it all. Toward the end, the story relinquishes what should logically have been its trajectory and turns into an ultra-explosive exhibitionist showdown, exciting as these scenes are. Sure, Andrew was pushed from various sides into exploiting more and more of his power and he was definitely fed up with his life but, in the end, he chose to indulge. Why? Because he could. The chilling spider torture and the car crunching sequences also come to mind. Benevolence is sorely missed here.
On another note, the narrative benefits greatly from the raw and somber found-footage style. It is the perfect way to tell this tale of isolation and despair, peppered by instances of sheer exhilaration. Any other cinematic technique would have cheapened the effect of the unique powers interweaving with the boys' puberty struggles and family disputes. It particularly proves innovative in the discovery scene -- the shaky camera adds to the mystery of a possible alien artifact -- and most of the telekinesis scenes. The final image is heartbreaking yet optimistic, opening the door for a welcome sequel.
The young cast is outstanding. DeHaan successfully captures Andrew's anguish, using subtle facial expressions and introverted body language. Jordan is a picture of naive vulnerability shining through a facade of arrogance, while Russell is the reliable voice of reason. A nice addition to the cast is character actor Michael Kelly, who radiates evil and spite as Andrew's abusive father.
**THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS**
Three high school pals -- outcast Andrew (Dane DeHaan), his sensible cousin Matt (Alex Russell) and cocky and popular Steve (Michael B. Jordan) -- discover a mysterious buried object at a party and gain superpowers as a consequence. Capable of feats ranging from telekinesis to flying, the boys have fun with their new abilities, which eventually manage to divide them and put their friendship to the test...
The one question that did not leave my thoughts for the duration of the film was: what if this kind of power existed and happened to fall into the wrong hands? Humans find ways to abuse any privilege, skill and technology; it is practically a tradition. I sympathize with Andrew's plight and like the idea of an introspective teenager becoming more assertive through the use of otherworldly talents but, as we proceed, his antihero status stalls and dissolves. Ultimately, I did not think that his breakdown was provoked by his ordeals; rather, I saw it as a result of his perceived superiority and perhaps some mental health issues. Furthermore, I did not know how exactly the writers had wanted us to read this development to begin with. This is where the film's ambiguity overshadows its brilliance. Utilizing a story about three mischievous teenagers in extraordinary circumstances, filmmakers Josh Trank and Max Landis make us think about the repercussions of problems such as bullying and peer pressure, but lose themselves in the action potential of it all. Toward the end, the story relinquishes what should logically have been its trajectory and turns into an ultra-explosive exhibitionist showdown, exciting as these scenes are. Sure, Andrew was pushed from various sides into exploiting more and more of his power and he was definitely fed up with his life but, in the end, he chose to indulge. Why? Because he could. The chilling spider torture and the car crunching sequences also come to mind. Benevolence is sorely missed here.
On another note, the narrative benefits greatly from the raw and somber found-footage style. It is the perfect way to tell this tale of isolation and despair, peppered by instances of sheer exhilaration. Any other cinematic technique would have cheapened the effect of the unique powers interweaving with the boys' puberty struggles and family disputes. It particularly proves innovative in the discovery scene -- the shaky camera adds to the mystery of a possible alien artifact -- and most of the telekinesis scenes. The final image is heartbreaking yet optimistic, opening the door for a welcome sequel.
The young cast is outstanding. DeHaan successfully captures Andrew's anguish, using subtle facial expressions and introverted body language. Jordan is a picture of naive vulnerability shining through a facade of arrogance, while Russell is the reliable voice of reason. A nice addition to the cast is character actor Michael Kelly, who radiates evil and spite as Andrew's abusive father.
Chronicle is brainy science fiction that taps into a refreshing authenticity with its portrayals of teenage boys' existence. If you like clever storytelling, this film is for you. Though its message occasionally loses its way, the objective is clear: reclaiming preternatural powers from the fantasy genre and returning them to humanity, namely outcasts that need them the most.
8/10
posted by raindropped @ 1:21 PM
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